“Doesn’t this apply only to British subjects?”
“It applies to anyone who signs it,” she replied.
“Pounds,” Stone said. “Not dollars.”
Felicity uncapped a large fountain pen and handed it to Stone.
“I assume this is filled with blood,” Stone said.
“Yes, but not yours. Pounds, it is.”
Stone signed the document. “All right, tell me about it.”
Felicity’s osso buco arrived. “In the morning,” Felicity said, attacking the veal shank.
3
Felicity put down her fork, having demolished her osso buco and most of the bottle of Chianti. “That was superb,” she said. “Now let’s go to your house.”
“Delighted,” Stone replied. He had forgotten how blunt she could be.
“Would you be delighted to have me as your guest for an indeterminate period?” she asked. “I’m not speaking of years or even months, perhaps a week or two.”
“Absolutely delighted,” Stone said.
“Then let’s be off,” Felicity said.
As it turned out, “off” didn’t mean in a cab but in a large, somewhat elderly Rolls-Royce.
“Nice ride,” Stone said when they were settled into the leather rear compartment and on the way downtown to his home in Turtle Bay.
“That sounds like something one would say about a hunter,” Felicity replied, “meaning a horse.”
“I know what a hunter is,” Stone replied. “How did you acquire this transport?”
“It belongs to the British ambassador to the United Nations, who is, at the moment, in London being instructed. He has placed it at my disposal while he is away, and I represented him at the dinner earlier this evening.”
“When did you arrive in New York?”
“About an hour before the dinner,” she replied, “and I am quite shattered. I’ve been traveling since dawn this morning, London time.”
“Then we must put you right to bed,” Stone said.
She placed a hand on the inside of his thigh and squeezed lightly. “I should bloody well hope so.”